Pressure and/or vacuum distributor



y 4, 1954 w. F. CHELLBERG PRESSURE AND/OR VACUUM DISTRIBUTOR Filed May 27, 1949 3 Sheqts-Sheet- 1 m? m vkv w om Inventor Walter E Che/Iberg May 4, 1954 w. F. CHELLBERG PRESSURE AND/OR VACUUM DISTRIBUTOR s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27, 1949 m& m& 9% mm v9 Wm 90 R m at Inventor Walter F. Che/Iberg y 1954 w. F. CHELLBERG PRESSURE AND/0R VACUUM DISTRIBUTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 27, 1949 Inventar Walter F. (Mel/berg Patented May 4, 1954 STATE 9 Claims.

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a pressure and/or vacuum distributor for pressure or vacuum and more specifioally pertains to an easily reversible rotary distributor valve for selectively distributing a medium under pressure or vacuum in predetermined sequence from a common source of pressure or vacuum to various places of use such as particularly to the cylinders of steam engines, air motors and the like.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved means for selectively connecting a source of pressure or suction in a predetermined sequence with a plurality of individual users of the pressure or vacuum medium and in particular in an improved and advantageous manner in which the sequence of delivery may be readily reversed.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a rotary reversible distributor of a simplified construction which is particularly adapted to economical manufacture, and yet will be exceedingly compact and will form a unitary assembly.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a device having a single rotatable member for selectively establishing communication between the various conduits leading to the consumers of the pressure or vacuum medium and with the source of supply; together with a concentric member interposed between the rotatable distributing member and the conduits, which concentric member is manually adjustable to re-' verse the sequence of distribution;

More specifically, the invention comprises a reversible rotary distributing valve which will deliver pressure or vacuum from a source such as a pump to the cylinders of a motor such as a steam engine, air motor, vacuum motor, hydraulic motor the like, in predetermined sequence; and wherein the direction of rotation of the motor may be readily reversed by merely reversing or angularly adjusting the reversing valve interposed between a rotary distributing valve and the passages leading to the various pressure or vacconsumers,

Another very important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a pressure or vac uum distributing valve assembly which is provided with two sets of ports, which are spaced at equal angular intervals, one set of ports being employed for delivery of the medium in a first predetermined sequence, and the other set of ports being employed for delivering the medium in a reversed sequence.

Further features of the invention reside in theprovision of a distributing valve mechanism which shall be of simple and compact construction, may be easily manufactured in an inexpensive manner, and which shall be highly elficient for the purposes intended.

These, together with various ancillary objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings,- wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, showing a preferred embodiment of the distributing valve assembly in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1, parts being broken away;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of the section line 33 of Figure 4 and showing particularly the exhaust manifold construction of the valve assembly;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the arrangement of Figure 1, the manual reversing handle being removed therefrom;

Figure 5 is a group perspective view showing in separated arrangement, certain of the operative parts of the valve mechanism, the direction of flow of the pressure or vacuum medium through the valve, for a predetermined sequence of operation which may be termed the forward rotation of the valve, being indicated by the arrows therein;

Figure 6 is a further vertical transverse sectional detail view taken substantially upon the plane of the section line 6-6 of Figure 4 and illustrating one of the distributing manifold arrangements of the invention;

Figure 7 is another detail vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the vertical plane of the section line 7-? of Figure 4 and illustrating another manifold arrangement forming a part of the invention;

Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the valve, showing the valve in a different position during its operation;

Figure 9 and Figure 10 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the intake and exhaust manifolds of the distributing valve disk in their relation to the two sets of ports and passages and to the manifold assemblies associated therewith;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view, parts being broken away, showing a portion of the valve assembly, the distributing valve, the reversing valve disk, and the valve manifold assemblies; and

Figure 12 is an elevational view taken substantially upon the plane of the section line iZ-IZ of Figure 4.

In the accompanying drawings, like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, wherein the specific construction and operation of the improved reversible rotary valve assembly is disclosed. The reversible rotary distributing valve for pressure or vacuum disclosed herein is applicable to a plurality of environments requiring the timed, and sequential delivery in a predetermined order of a series of pressure or vacuum impulses such for example as steam engines, air motors, hydraulic motors, and any other apparatus employing pressure or vacuum pulsation in timed relation. It is evident that the connecting of the conduits of the rotary valve to the particular environment de sired is a matter which resides within the skill of the mechanic, and therefore such connections have not been deemed necessary of illustration in the present application.

Referring first primarily to Figures 1 and 4, it will be seen that the rotary distributing valve assembly indicated generally by the numeral 40 is provided with an axial valve operating shaft 4| which may be connected with any suitable driving means such as that shown in Figures 4 and 12 whereby the operation of the valve may be driven by the apparatus with which it is to be associated in properly timed relation. Secured to the end of shaft 4! is a coupling sleeve 43 having a chamber 45 with a radial enlargement 41 adapted to receive the key on a driving shaft. The enlargement has an arcuate extent of 45 plus the width of the key so that the shaft 4! will have a rotational adjustment of 45 when the direction of rotation is reversed. The coupling 43 may be secured to shaft 4! as by an internally splined connection 49.

Indicated at 42 is a conduit which connects the valve assembly 48 with any suitable source or pressure or vacuum as desired. The conduit 42 may be thus regarded as the intake of the valve assembly 40, by means of which the impulses are supplied to the distributing valve for delivery therefrom while a further conduit 44 constitutes an exhaust or return conduit by means of which the discharge or return exhaust flow from the member supplied with the pressure or vacuum from the valve assembly may be either returned to the intake side of the source, not shown, or may be discharged to the atmosphere as preferred. Hereinafter, conduit 42 may be referred to as the pressure or fluid intake of the valve assembly 40, while conduit 44 is regarded as the exhaust or return conduit of the valve assembly.

A plurality of delivery conduits indicated at 4B, 48, '50 and 52 extend from the valve assembly 49 to various places of use of the pressure or vacuum distributed by the rotary valve. These four conduits serve both as a means for delivering the impulses to the place of use, and for returning the medium from the place of use to the exhaust manifold assembly within the casing 40, from whence exhaust is effected by means of the conduit 44 previously mentioned.

As shown in Figures 4, 5 and 8, the distributing valve assembly has as its main portion a stationary cylindrical body 54 provided terminally with a diametrically reduced extension 56, and

4 with an axially extending diametrically reduced sleeve 58. An axial bore 60 is provided in the body, in the reduced portion 56 and in the sleeve 58 and constitutes a journal bearing for the previously mentioned shaft 4|.

The sleeve 58 and the extension 56 are externally screw threaded on their opposite ends 66 and at 68 respectively.

Screw threadedly engaged upon the threads 68, is a cap member 10, see Figures 4 and 8, which serves as a closure member and also as a chamber for receiving the distributing valve disk and the reversing valve disk as set forth hereinafter.

A plurality of longitudinally extending passages 1] are formed in the valve body 54, these passages being disposed parallel to and equidistantly spaced from the axial bore 60, and at equal angular intervals with respect to each other, these apertures being of any desired number, eight being shown in the example illustrated in the drawings, and these apertures for convenience of designation are indicated and hereinafter referred to as A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H, these letters also referring to the corresponding aligned bores and passages to be referred to hereinafter. The passages H constitute both the delivery passages of the valve assembly for the pressure or vacuum and the return passages therefor.

As shown best in Figures 4 and 5, the valve body 54 is likewise provided with a radially extending passage 12 to whose outer extremity is connected the previously mentioned exhaust or discharge conduit 44. At its inner extremity, the passage 12 terminates in an arcuately disposed port 14 which constitutes the exhaust port for the valve body.

Rotatably journaled in the bore 60 is a sleeve 16 which extends beyond the screw threaded extension of the sleeve 58, at one end, and at its other end extends through the body 54 and the reduced portion 56, and is provided with an integral reversing valve disk 18. The disk 73 is provided with four longitudinally extending distributing passages or ports which are disposed at 90 intervals and equidistantly from the axis of the valve disk.

It should be here noted that the number of distributing ports an in the reversing valve disk 18 will correspond to the number of pressure or vacuum impulses which it is desired to deliver from one cycle of rotation of the distributing valve, and since the valve illustrated contains eight distributing passages N, there will be but four distributing ports 80. In other words, there will be half as many ports 80 as there are passages ll, it being here noted that one half of the passages II will be employed for one direction of rotation of the distributing valve, and the other half of the passages will be employed for the reverse rotation of the same.

The reversing valve disk 18 remains in a relatively fixed position with each of the four ports an registering with one set of bores or passages H in the valve body, but is manually oscillated or rotated by a means to be subsequently described, to an alternative position whereby the four ports may register with the other set of distributing passages H for the reverse direction of rotation of the valve assembly.

It will be noted that the reversing valve disk '75 thus constitutes the selector for rendering operative one set consisting of four of the passages H, while the solid portion of the disk 18 will overlie and render inoperative the other set of passages 'II which is not being at that time employed. When the reversing disk I6 is rotated through, in this instance, 45, the ports Bil will register with the second set of-distributing passages, thus rendering the first set inoperative.

As will be seen from Figures 4 and 8, the reversing valve disk 18 lies flush against what may be termed the outer surface of the reduced portion of the valve body 54, and a distributing valve disk 82 is disposed on the outer side of the reversing disk 18, being integrally formed upon the outer extremity of the driving shaft It i, the intermediate portion of the shaft l! being rounded to have a hearing within the sleeve :6.

As shown best in Figure 5, the distributing valve disk 82 is provided with a pair of arcuate distributing ports 84 and 8S, oppositely disposed, and constituting respectively a pressure or vacuum inlet port or manifold and the exhaust pressure port or manifold. Preferably, each of these ports extends through about 170 of arc and is struck upon a radius so that the ports will register with the bores 80, which in turn register with the distributing passages iI.

The exhaust manifold or port 258 further provided with a radially extending passage 88 which, see Figures 4, 5 and 8, is adapted to overlie and register with an annular exhaust manifold cc comprising an annular space positioned between the outer periphery of the reversing disk valve 18 and the inner periphery of an annular spacing member 92 which is clamped between the outer surface of the reduced portion 56 and a shoulder 9% on the cover I0 when the latter is screw threaded upon the body 54. While the intake manifold or port 84 extends entirely through the distributing valve disk 82, to thus communicate with the space within the cover member ill, and hence with the pressure or vacuum intake conduit 6,2, the exhaust manifold 86 and 38 are formed as recesses in the inner surface only of the distributing valve disk 82 and thus do not communicate with this space.

This port and manifold arrangement will be particularly evident from. an inspection of Figure ll which thus shows the relation of the various parts previously described.

As will be seen from Figures 4 and 8, the cover I6 is provided with an axially extending boss 96 which in turn is provided with a bore 98 on the inner side thereof, for the reception of acompression spring 980 which urges a ball memher i 62 against the axial or central portion of the distributing valve 82 to thereby urge yieldingly the valves 82 and i8 against each other and against the valve body portion 56 and thus maintain a tight seal therebetween to prevent leakage between the various ports and passages.

The intake chamber or manifold of the valve body is indicated at I6 3 as the space between the end. wall of the cover member 1i), and the adjacent surface of the distributing valve disk 82. This chamber IE4 is at all times in free communication with a source of pressure or vacuum by means of the conduit t2, and likewise is at all times in communication with the intake port 8 of the distributor valve disk. The conduit 42 may be connected with the chamber E84 in any suitable manner as by a screw threaded aperture I06 therein.

Secured to the stationary valve body 54 are three annular members m3, Nd and II2, which are retained tightly thereagainst as by a locking nut Ill; upon the threads 66 of the sleeve 55, whereby these annular members may be retained 6-. in tight engagement withzeachiorther and with the body 54. Rotation between these various memhers is prevented as by:a dowel pin II6' which extends through these three annular members and into the valve body 54 as shown in Figure 4.

It should be here noted that themembers I08, H0 and II2 are formed as separate members solely for convenience of manufacture, since any of these various members could be formed integrally with the others and/or'with the body 54.

Referring now particularly to Figure 5, it will be seen that the member III) is provided with a plurality, in this instance eight, apertures H8 which respectively are aligned with the bore 'II in each of their positions A-I-I.- Similarly, the member H38 is provided with eight longitudinal passages I which likewise are at all times in registry with the passages H of the body 54. Formed in its surface adjacent the disk member Ill], see Figure 6, the memberl ls has a pair of arcuate manifolds i222 and 124 which extend throughout about 170 of arc, and which are disposed radially outwardly of the series of passages I26, these two manifolds being connected with four of these passages as follows. The manifold I 22 at its extremities has radially and inwardly extending passage HI and H23 which connect with two of the ports I26 whereby either of these two ports may supply or deliver pressure or vacuum to the manifold 12d. Similarly, the manifold I24 has radially inwardly extending passages I25 and I2! which connect with two other of the ports I26. Thus, four of the ports I26, are connected in pairs to the two manifolds I22 and I25). The latter also are provided with passages I29 and I3I to which the previously mentioned pressure or vacuum delivery conduits and 52 are connected.

It is important to here note that the manifold I22 by means of the passages I2! and I23 is connected to one bore in-each of the two sets of distributing passages. Thus, regardless of which of the two sets of distributing passages are rendered operative by the reversing valve disk 78, one of the passages I2I and I23 will be rendered operative while the other is inoperative. Thus, the conduit 50 will always be supplied with pressure or vacuum from whichever of the two sets of distributing passages are energized or rendered operative by the reversing valve. Similarly, the manifold I24 and conduit 52 are likewise provided with a passage which is operatively connected With-one of the sets of distributing passages "I I.

The face of the member II2 which is adjacent the plate H0 is similarly constructed, being provided with a pair of arcuately extending diametrically opposite manifold passages I26 and I26, each of which extends through about of arc, and which as shown in Figure 7 are provided with radially inwardly extending terminal passages I33, I35 and I3? and I39. The passages I26 and I28 likewise communicate by means of radial passages MI and I53 with the above mentioned pressure or vacuum delivery conduits 46 and 48.'

It will be noted that the four passages of the manifolds I26 and I28 are connected with the other four bores II to which the manifolds 22 and E24 are not connected. Moreover, each of the manifolds I26 and I28 is connected to two of the conduits II by means of the radial passages, these being one conduit in each of the two sets controlled by the reversing valve.

The construction of the control means for the reversing valve disk will now be described. As

shown in Figures 1 and 2, there is provided a reversing and control lever I50 which is adjustably clamped as by a split hub I52 and a fastening bolt I54, upon the extremity of the sleeve I6 which carries the reversing valve disk I8.

Any conventional lever latch means may be provided for holding lever I56 in its adjusted positions, such for example as a stationary sector plate I56 which may be supported and mounted upon any convenient part of the mechanism with which the valve is associated, or even upon the valve assembly 40 if desired. This sector is provided with peripheral notches I58, I as and I52 which respectively correspond to the forward, neutral or valve inoperative position and the reverse positions of the reversing disk which thus constitutes a valve control disk as well.

Slidable upon the lever I50 is a latch dog I54 having a latch wedge or blade I 53 engageabie selectively in the sector plate notches. A handle 38, pivoted to the lever at We is connected to the dog I64 by links I12 and a spring I7 urges the dog into latching position.

The operation of this particular latching mechanism is well known, and since the same forms no part of the invention herein claimed, further explanation as to construction or operation deemed to be unnecessary.

From the foregoing construction, the operation of the valving assembly may now be understood. A pressure or vacuum is continuously maintained in the intake chamber 494 by means of the conduit 62. From the intake chamber IN, the pressure or vacuum medium is selectively admitted by means of the arcuate intake manifold slot of the continuously rotating distributing valve disk 32, to predetermined sets of distributing passages II, the intake valve port 84 being enabled to simultaneously contact or register with at least two of the ports 86 in the reverse and control valve disk I8. Since the port 3 extends throughout 170, it is of suflicient length to at all times overlap three of the ports H, and sometimes four of these ports as indicated in the diagrammatic view of Figure 9. of the reverse and control valve 78, only one set of four of the distributing passages H can be placed in communication with the intake port ti l, the other set of passages being blocked oii until such time as the reverse and control valve disk is shifted through 45, to cause the four passages or ports 8G to register with the other set of passages I.

With the control valve set for what may be termed the forward direction of rotation, the intake port 84 thus registers with two of the passages II, such as those designated H and B in Figure 5. At the same time, the corresponding exhaust manifold port 86, by means of its passage 83, is placed in registry with the diametrically opposite port II from those which are overlapped by the port 84, to thereby establish communication with these exhaust registering passages and by means of the annular exhaust passage 90 and port I4, with the exhaust conduit 44. This arrangement is shown in the diagrammatic view of Figure 9. Thus, the pressure or suction of the medium is conducted by the intake manifold port 8t, and the appropriate ports 88 in the control valve or reverse valve disk '18, and passages 7 EH and MB, to the corresponding passages IZBH and IZBB, and as shown in Figures 9 and 10 the passage IZIJH is placed in communication with the intake manifold i2 3 and consequently with the delivery conduit 52 by means of However, by means the radial passage I21; while the passage IZOB extending through the corresponding aperture H8 of the disk III], is likewise placed in com munication by means of the radial passage I35 with the intake manifold I26 which is also in communication with the delivery conduit 46. Thus, the conduits 52 and 48 are subjected to the pressure or vacuum of the source, while in the same manner the conduits Z8 and 50 by means of the exhaust manifolds I28 and I22 and the corresponding ports and passages are placed in communication with the exhaust conduit 4 It will thus be seen that two of the four ports 86 of the reverse and control valve disk l8 are placed in communication with the source of pressure or vacuum, while two are placed in communication with the exhaust conduit. By this means, pressure or vacuum is continuously applied to two of the four conduits, while the previously applied pressure or vacuum in two of the other conduits is exhausted therefrom. As the valve 82 rotates, the intake and exhaust manifold ports 8% and 8B sequentially register with the predetermined set of distributing conduits "II which are utilized in the forward direction of rotation, so that half of these conduits are subject to charging or intaking while the other half subject to exhaust.

Vi hen it is desired to set the distributing valve for reverse operation, it is merely necessary to properly actuate the lever I59, whereupon the control and reverse valve 18 is shifted through causing the ports to now register with the corresponding passages ll of the other set of distributing passages, H and B are now closed off, while the corresponding conduits A and C are placed in operation. The conduits A and C, are however in communication with the manifolds I22, I25 and I28, whereby the conduits 52 and .8 are subjected to the operating medium while the manifolds 22 and I26 are subjected to exhaust through the exhaust manifold port 86.

From the foregoing, the construction and operaticn of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed and described the inven tion, What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pressure or vacuum distributor compri ing a casing having first and second sets of distributing passages and a plurality of delivery and return conduits, a passage of each of said sets being connected to each conduit, a rotary distributing valve journaled in said casing and having intake and exhaust ports registerable in sequence with each of said distributing passages, a reverse valve journaled in said casing and interposed between said distributing valve and said sets of passages and having arcuately spaced passages therein in selective alignment with one of said sets of passages for selectively establishing communication between said distributor valve ports and the distributing passages of one of said sets and adapted to be angularly adjusted for selectively establishing communication between said distributor valve ports and the distributing passages of the other of said sets, a source of pressure or vacuum and an exhaust conduit and communicating means connecting said source and said exhaust conduit with the intake and exhaust ports of the distributor valve.

2. A pressure or vacuum distributor comprising a casing having first and second sets of distributing passages and a plurality of delivery and return conduits, a passage of each of said sets being connected by manifold means to eachconduit, a rotary distributing valve journaled in said casing and having intake and exhaust ports registerable in sequence with each of said distributing passages, a reverse valve journaled in said casing and interposed between said distributing valve and said sets of passages and having arcuately spaced passages therein in selective alignment with one of said sets of passages for selectively establishing communication between said distributor valve ports and the distributing passages of one of said sets and adapted to be angularly adjusted for selectively establishing communication between said distributor valve ports and the distributing passages of the other of said sets, a source of pressure or vacuum and an exhaust conduit and communicating means connecting said source and said exhaust conduit with the intake and exhaust ports of the distributor valve.

3. A pressure or vacuum distributor comprising a body having a set of distributing passages, a set of delivery and return conduits, a source of pressure or vacuum and an exhaust conduit, a distributing valve rotatable in said body and selectively establishing communication between said set of passages and said source of pressure or vacuum and said exhaust conduit, manifold means connecting each of said passages with one of said delivery conduits, said manifold means comprising first and second body sections, openings in said first section each continuously in registry with one of said distributing passages, a reverse valve journaled in said body and interposed between said distributing valve and said passages, said reverse valve having arcuately spaced passages therein for selective alignment with said distributing passages for selectively establishing communication between said distributing valve and said distributing passages, intake and exhaust manifolds in the adjacent faces of said sections, each manifold communicating with one of said openings in said first section, each of said delivery conduits communicating with one of said manifolds.

4. A pressure or vacuum distributor comprising a body having a set of distributing passages, a set of delivery and return conduits, a source of pressure or vacuum and an exhaust conduit, a distributing valve rotatable in said body and selectively establishing communication between said set of passages and said source of pressure or vacuum and said exhaust conduit, manifold means connecting each of said passages with one of said delivery conduits, a control valve operatively interposed between said distributing valve 6 and said delivery passages for selectively establishing and closing communication therebetween,

said manifold means comprises first and second body sections, openings in said first section each continuously in registry with one of said distributing passages, a reverse valve journaled in said body and interposed between said distributing valve and said passages, said reverse valve having arcuately spaced passages therein for selective alignment with said distributing passages for selectively establishing communication between said distributing valve and said distributing passages, intake and exhaust manifolds in the adjacent faces of said sections, each manifold communicating with one of said openings in said first section, each of said delivery conduits communicating with one of said manifolds.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said manifold means comprises first and second body sections, openings in said first section each continuously in registry with one of said distributing passages, a reverse valve journaled in said body and interposed between said distributing valve and said passages, said reverse valve having arcuately spaced passages therein for selective alignment with said distributing passages for selectively establishing communication between said distributing valve and said distributing passages, intake and exhaust manifolds in the adjacent faces of said sections, each manifold coinmunicating with one of said openings in said first section, each of said delivery conduits communicating with one of said manifolds.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said casing has an annularly reduced extremity, at one end, a cup-shaped member secured to said one end and forming an intake chamber therewith, said source of pressure or vacuum and said distributing valve communicating with said intake chamber.

'7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said casing has an axial bore, said distributing passages being parallel to and equidistant from said bore, said distributing valve including a valve disk having means for eifecting continuous rotation of the disk, said disk having ports registerable with said distributing passages.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body has an axial bore, said distributing passages being parallel to and equidistant from said bore, said distributing valve including a valve disk having ports registerable with said distributing passages and a stem journaled in said bore for rotating said valve.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said reverse valve includes a sleeve journaled in said bore and upon said stem, and manual adjusting means secured to said sleeve angularly oscillating said reverse valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 330,861 Wuerpel Nov. 17, 1885 620,282 Cooper Feb. 28, 1899 872,801 Eek Dec. 3, 1907 2,105,198 McNamara Jan. 11, 1938 2,380,369 Nix July 10, 1945 

